


Across the Pond

by celeste9



Series: A Series of Encounters [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Primeval
Genre: Crossover, Father-Daughter Relationship, First Kiss, M/M, Team, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-25
Updated: 2014-04-25
Packaged: 2018-01-20 18:33:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1521170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celeste9/pseuds/celeste9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Simmons gets a call from her father, Coulson brings his team to London to help with an incident of accidental telepathy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Across the Pond

**Author's Note:**

> This is the 'Lester meets Coulson' fic I've wanted to write since Avengers came out, only with S.H.I.E.L.D. instead of the Avengers. With thanks to fififolle for letting me run with her brilliant idea of Lester being Jemma's dad, and to fredbassett for the beta. For 'telepathy/mindmeld' on my trope_bingo card. Takes place post-canon for Primeval and roughly towards the beginning of the season for AoS (meaning, no spoilers beyond the premise of the show).

The knock disturbed Phil out of a report on Doctor Doom’s latest movements. He wasn’t sorry to be far, far removed from having to deal with _that._

“Yes,” he said, seeing Simmons standing just outside.

She came forward. “Sir, I wondered how amenable you might be to a suggestion of destination.”

Phil frowned. “Not sanctioned by S.H.I.E.L.D.?”

“Not exactly.” Simmons shifted. “You see, my dad might... Well, he might see some funny things himself, in his line of work, but he might have come across something that’s odd even for him.”

“Simmons, just come out and say it.”

She huffed. “All right! My dad runs the ARC.”

“That thing with the dinosaurs? In London?” Phil vaguely remembered some fiasco a couple of years back coming onto S.H.I.E.L.D.’s radar, but as he’d been occupied with Avengers-related dealings (read: Tony Stark), it hadn’t really caught his attention.

“Yes. Or anyway, it’s the dinosaurs that people always seem to remember. But the point is, he’s run into trouble and he phoned me as he thought it might be more of our thing than his. Something about his team members suddenly becoming telepathic.”

Phil’s eyebrows went up his forehead. “Sudden telepathy?”

“They came into contact with a device accidentally, something that came through an anomaly. The anomalies are what the dinosaurs come through,” Simmons explained, with the air of speaking to a child.

Phil let it go. He didn’t think she even realized she was doing it. “I’ll look into it,” he said, undeniably intrigued. 

“Thank you, sir,” Simmons said, a big smile on her face. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen Daddy!” Her smile faded slightly. “Though, perhaps you could send out a memo instructing everyone to be quite careful about not mentioning those times I’ve almost died.”

Phil sighed. He had a terrible feeling that this would be a mistake. 

-

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” May asked, later, after everything was set.

Simmons’ father had sent over his team’s mission reports for Phil to peruse. The whole situation was odd, but Fitz was practically beside himself with the opportunities it presented and Skye seemed entirely favorable towards becoming accidentally telepathic herself. Heaven forbid.

“No, I’m not,” Phil said. “But it’s the sort of thing we do.”

“You don’t actually know that.”

“I know that it is the sort of thing we would, at the very least, look into.”

“It isn’t like you to go outside of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“It isn’t like me to do a lot of things, recently,” Phil said. He resisted the urge to lift his hand up off the desk and place it on his chest, to feel the scarring through his shirt.

May’s gaze was cool, revealing nothing. “I hope this won’t be a mistake, that’s all.”

“Admit it. Aren’t you just the tiniest bit curious? Even without the telepathy thing, it’s Simmons’ dad.”

“I admit nothing,” May said, that sly tilt to her mouth, and left.

-

“I thought we didn’t believe in telepathy,” Skye said, as they approached London. They were landing the plane in a secure location given to them by Simmons’ father, after which they would drive to the ARC building.

“There’s been no evidence of it,” Simmons said. “That’s different from not believing.”

“And now your dad’s got evidence of it. And also he fights dinosaurs.”

“He doesn’t fight them himself. He’s more of a… bureaucrat, I suppose you could say, though his position defies any sort of casual explanation.”

“Right,” Skye said, stretching the word out. “But his people fight dinosaurs.”

“That isn’t what we’re here for, Skye,” Phil cut in, and Skye begrudgingly fell silent. 

The drive to the ARC reminded Phil of how much he had always hated driving in London. The ARC itself was a fairly nondescript building that could have been just any old office building, but Phil knew that was likely entirely intentional. Why invite undue attention to yourself with flashy architecture? Unless you were S.H.I.E.L.D., of course. S.H.I.E.L.D. had always liked a bit of flash.

They were met outside by a man in black combat gear, clearly a soldier, though he was rather prettier than most of the soldiers Phil had encountered (a fact which clearly hadn’t escaped Skye’s notice, judging by her low whistle). Phil spotted several other soldiers manning the perimeter, in addition to the security cameras trained on them.

“Agent Coulson?” the man said, deftly ignoring Skye utterly. 

“Yes.”

“Captain Becker, head of ARC security. If you’ll follow me, please,” he said, gesturing. Becker cast a cursory gaze over Phil’s team, pausing a bit longer over Ward.

Ward gave Becker a none too subtle onceover. They were like a pair of dogs sniffing each other out and Phil had to squash the urge to roll his eyes.

May brushed past Ward, saying, “Ask him to show you to the bathroom, you can measure your dicks and just get it over with.”

Skye snorted while Fitz and Simmons unsuccessfully attempted to cover up their laughter.

Becker’s jaw tightened but he only said, “This way,” and led them on.

Simmons was practically bouncing with excitement and she quickened her steps to move in time with Becker. “Daddy told me about you,” she said.

“Did he?” Becker said, without much inflection or visible interest, but there was something in the set of his expression that told Phil he was actually very much interested. “Can’t say the same about you.”

Simmons’ face fell a little, but she only said, “Yes, well, Daddy’s always been terribly private. You aren’t one of the suddenly telepathic ones, then?”

Becker barely concealed a wince. “No.”

“Hm. Well, we’ll fix that right up, I’m sure. Won’t we, Fitz?”

“Absolutely,” Fitz said, perhaps less out of loyalty to Simmons than out of his own sense of pride in his work.

As they came out of the elevator, a man stepped through the doors of an office, nearly straight ahead. He was roughly Phil’s age, slim and dark-haired, dressed in what looked to be a very fine, bespoke suit. Dunhill, perhaps, complimented by a colorful tie and pocket square. Nice.

Simmons pushed her way past everyone and ran up to him. “Daddy!” she said, flinging her arms about him.

“Hello, Jemma,” the man said, returning his daughter’s enthusiastic hug and somehow managing to remain looking somewhat dignified. 

“This is my dad,” Simmons announced to everyone, remaining at his side, her arm linked through his. “Daddy, this is everyone.”

“Charmed,” he said, gazing at them each in turn. “James Lester.”

“I know we don’t have the same name but it was a thing, you see, after Mum died,” Simmons explained. “Anyway, Jemma Lester? It sounds awful, don’t you think? Jemma Simmons is much more pleasing to the ear.”

“Can you ever forgive me, my darling, for not giving the matter the appropriate attention when your mother and I named you?”

Simmons kissed her father on the cheek. “Of course, Daddy. I’m sure you’re sorry now.”

Becker was staring at the two of them, Phil couldn’t help but notice. He looked nearly stupefied. 

“Yes, terribly sorry.” Lester’s eyes settled on Fitz. “Fitz, is it?”

Fitz sprang forward, shaking Lester’s hand. “Yes, sir, that’s me, pleasure to see you again, obviously. Um. How are you?”

But Lester had already moved on, turning his attention to Phil. “You must be Agent Coulson.”

Phil resisted the urge to fix his tie. “Yes. This is my team, Agent May, Agent Ward, and Skye. It seems you’ve already met Agent Fitz, and, of course, Agent Simmons. Pleasantries aside, I’d like to get started. I’ve read the reports you sent me, but maybe I could get the story in your own words.”

Lester sighed. “Perhaps it would be best to show you first.” He turned and began walking farther in, so Phil fell into step beside him. 

They went down some steps into a large, dimly lit area that was notable mainly for the array of computer screens in the center, most showing what looked to be CCTV footage. There was a girl dressed in bright colors perched in front of it all, like a little brown-haired pixie. She must have been younger than anyone on Phil’s team. 

She jumped to her feet as they got near her, her smile as bright as the pink heels on her feet. “Hello! Oh, how exciting. I’m Jess, Jess Parker, pleasure to meet you. Can I ask you about the Avengers? Is that terribly impolite? It’s just that--”

“Perhaps we can do introductions later,” Lester interrupted, glancing at her. “I’d like them to see the... patients.”

“Of course,” Jess agreed, not put out in the least. In fact, her amusement seemed to even have grown. “I’ve been watching them on the CCTV, poor things.”

“Keeping a safe distance, I see.”

Jess folded her arms over her chest. “Like you haven’t been.”

Lester ignored her in favor of continuing on his way. 

Phil followed suit, though he didn’t miss the way Skye sidled over to Jess and said, “Jess, right? I’m Skye. I’m guessing you’re the girl in charge when it comes to tech?” She ran a faintly covetous gaze over Jess’ set-up. “Tell you what, you let me play with this stuff, I’ll get you the dirt on the Avengers.”

“Skye,” Phil urged.

“Yeah, yeah,” she said. “Think about it,” she added to Jess, going so far as to wink.

“Sold!” Jess called after her.

“You haven’t even met the Avengers, Skye,” Simmons said, her tone faintly admonishing.

“No, but I know people who have,” Skye said, her eyes on Phil. “Right, Coulson? Help a girl out.”

“Ask Agent May,” Phil said, which made Skye pout.

“If you’re finished bribing my employees with false information,” Lester cut in, “the team members in question are in this examination room.”

“What did you do, lock them up like they’re diseased?” Skye asked.

“It’s better for everyone that they remain cloistered.”

There were two young women waiting just outside the door Lester led them to, one blonde and one dark-haired. “Trust me, he’s right,” said the blonde. 

“We will need to speak with them, if you want our help,” Phil said.

Lester sighed. “Yes, I suppose you will. Can’t be helped.” He moved to open the door, prompting the two women to take a few steps back.

“Uh, we’re gonna stay outside, Lester,” the blonde said. Her companion was nodding her agreement.

“I assumed as much. I’m sure Mr. Temple and Mr. Anderson greatly appreciate your compassion.”

The blonde laughed, a bit wryly. “If Connor still wants to be married when this is over, he’ll keep out of my head.”

Lester’s mouth quirked. “Indeed. You always were the sensible one. Come along then, Agents, if you want to see them. I recommend you don’t think about state secrets whilst inside.”

“Like I’m going to think about anything else now,” Fitz muttered.

“Least you’re only clearance level five, buddy,” Skye said, patting Fitz on the back.

Inside the room were two men, one with black hair that curled around his ears, the other older and a bit scruffier. They were both seated at a table, looking as though they’d been in the midst of an argument, or at least, a heated discussion.

“Visitors,” Lester announced as they all walked through the door. “Try not to frighten them off as they’re likely to be your best hope for a return to normality. Or what passes for normality for you two.”

“So, what are you guys, the B team?” asked the dark-haired one. “We’re not important enough for the Avengers?”

“Hello, Jemma,” said the other man. He sounded Irish. “You’re much prettier than your father.”

Simmons beamed while the dark-haired man scrambled out of his seat to get closer to her. “Jemma! Lester! You’re Lester’s daughter! Matt’s right, you don’t look anything like him. Hope you’ve got your mum’s personality, too.”

Lester was ignoring this exchange with the air of a man long used to this sort of thing. Phil could sympathize.

“I’m Connor, by the way,” the man was going on. “I’d ask you for dirt on your dad but you’re already thinking it, so thanks for that.” He turned to Lester. “A teddy bear? That’s so sweet of you, Lester.”

“Please remember who signs your paychecks, Mr. Temple,” Lester said.

Matt had walked over to stand in front of May, watching her intently. “I can’t hear anything from you,” he said. “Or from you,” he added, looking to Ward and then to Phil. 

Connor frowned. “I can’t, either. That’s never happened before.”

“S.H.I.E.L.D. training for field agents is incredibly comprehensive,” Phil said. “Tell me what he’s thinking right now,” he said, pointing to Fitz.

“He’s thinking about how much he wants to get his hands on whatever we touched, but he can’t decide whether he means that literally or if he’d rather be wearing a hazmat suit.”

Fitz was blushing. “I can’t decide if being telepathic would be fascinating or horrible,” he said.

“No one is touching that device,” Phil said. He sat down at the table Connor and Matt had vacated, directing his gaze to them. “Now, tell me exactly what happened, in your own words.”

-

Phil was sitting in Lester’s office, looking at him from across the desk. FitzSimmons and Skye had gone to investigate the device, with Lester’s people to help them, while May and Ward were with Becker. Phil wasn’t entirely sure that was a good idea, but in the interests of cooperation… He supposed May would keep Ward from getting into any trouble. Hopefully. 

“I’ve never heard of anything like this,” Phil said to Lester. “Believe me, I would know if S.H.I.E.L.D. had had any dealings of this nature.”

“Does that mean you can’t help?”

“I didn’t say that. I hand-picked this team and I can assure you, they are the best.”

Lester kept a cool gaze on Phil. “My daughter is, certainly, and she always did like to go on about that Scot of hers. She continues to insist that he isn’t her boyfriend. I suppose you wouldn’t know anything about that.”

“Nothing happens on board my plane that I don’t know about,” Phil said, and then declined to elaborate. Damned if he was going to get caught in between Simmons and her concerned father.

“If it’s anything like the ARC, they’re all shagging in some combination or another,” Lester said, which made Phil chuckle quietly.

“Unfortunately,” he agreed.

“I frown on that sort of thing myself. Messy.”

Phil nodded, letting his mouth curve into a small smile. “Not that you can stop them.”

“Oh, dear, no. What a waste of effort that would be. You could sack them, of course, but then where would you be?” Lester shrugged. “I imagine you haven’t eaten. I know how Jemma gets when she’s in the midst of a new project, and I’ve long since stopped believing I can get her to listen to sense. I’m going to order her takeaway in the hopes that she will at least eat, and you would be welcome to join me, if you like.”

“Because you won’t be leaving, either?”

“Well, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as they say.”

“No,” Phil said. “I don’t think it does.”

“I’m afraid I can’t take credit for most of Jemma, however. She is so like her mother-- looks, brains, and heart.”

Phil wanted to say that he found it unlikely Lester could run a program like the ARC without quite a bit of Simmons’ brains and heart, but he didn’t.

He also wanted to say that Lester’s looks were just fine, but he definitely didn’t.

-

Lester had Chinese delivered to the ARC, dropping off a bag to Jess (and Skye, who had apparently already made a new best friend), and he wouldn’t allow Simmons into any of the labs until she had eaten. She then proceeded to eat alarmingly quickly, talking enough that Phil was concerned she might choke. 

“No one’s been able to date it yet, so that’s what we’re trying to do first,” she was saying through a mouthful of duck. “Fitz and I thought that if we could figure out where it’s from, exactly, we’d have an easier time learning how it works. We’re going to need to pick up some of our equipment from the plane.”

“Their labs aren’t quite as good as S.H.I.E.L.D.’s,” Fitz lamented, before his eyes flicked to Lester nervously. “Not that the ARC isn’t perfectly adequate, of course, and we love it here. Marvelous facilities. Run so smoothly.”

Lester ignored him. Lester seemed to ignore a lot of things. He was also very good at feigning interest and understanding when Phil couldn’t imagine that he actually comprehended any more of what Simmons said than Phil himself did. Perhaps less - he was only a civil servant, after all.

Not that Lester wasn’t impressive in his own right. There was something about him, something… Phil couldn’t put a finger on it.

“Coulson?”

Phil blinked. He noted that he had suddenly become the center of attention and that he had apparently been staring at Lester. “Yes?”

Simmons was looking at him oddly and there was the faintest of smirks touching Lester’s mouth.

But then Simmons simply shrugged and got up, pulling Fitz with her. “Come on, back to work!”

“Jemma, you haven’t even--”

“See you later, Daddy!”

Lester sighed. He started clearing up the cartons and said, “Will the rest of your team eat this?”

“It’s food. You won’t even have to ask,” Phil said wryly. It certainly beat field rations and the S.H.I.E.L.D. cafeteria.

“They’re with Becker, aren’t they? Agents May and Ward? He’ll surely have shown them the armory, but it’s been long enough that I doubt even Becker could still have them there. He won’t want to let them touch anything, you see.”

“So where are they?”

“Beating each other to a pulp, no doubt. In a friendly manner, of course,” Lester said, though his tone was less certain than his words.

“How encouraging,” Phil said, and followed Lester down the corridors, eventually ending up in a gym-like room, lined with crash mats, with a few punching bags scattered around. They entered in time to watch Becker end up flat on his back with May’s legs wrapped around his neck. He slapped his hand on the ground and May released him, smirking a little.

Phil hid his smile. May had learned that move from Romanoff.

Ward was clapping, leaning against the wall, while Lester muttered, “Oh, good lord,” under his breath.

Becker was rubbing the back of his head a bit sheepishly, but he said, “You have to show me how you do that,” sounding impressed. He got back to his feet, accepting May’s hand up.

“If you’re quite finished,” Lester said, holding up the bag of Chinese.

“Wow,” Becker said. “You never get us takeaway. You must really want them to like you.”

“It was for my daughter. She doesn’t eat enough.”

“Right.” Becker didn’t sound terribly convinced. He looked to May and Ward. “Want to get your strength back up before I kick your arses?”

“You SAS guys are always so cocky,” Ward said, rolling his eyes. “Like that one million pounds or whatever it’s supposed to cost to train one of you makes you special or something.”

“Sure made you look bad about ten minutes ago.”

Ward snatched the bag from Lester’s hand. “Food, then rematch. Hope you won’t be sick.”

“Do try not to kill each other.” Lester sighed.

Phil looked to May. “I was counting on you to keep them in line.”

May shrugged. “You know me, sir. I can only offer you my best and nothing more.”

“Which is showing off just as badly as them, apparently,” he said, and May wasn’t even trying to keep the amusement out of her eyes. Phil had a sudden vision of how this would go if Barton had been there, and it took all his willpower not to start laughing. 

“Come along, Agent Coulson,” Lester urged. “Let them have their fun.” He eyed Becker. “I trust you’ll treat our guests with the respect they deserve, Captain.”

Becker saluted him, rather mockingly. “Sir, yes, sir.”

Lester walked out into the hall with his back straight and his head high. 

“I know just how you feel,” Phil said, and relished the quirking upwards of Lester’s lips.

-

Phil wasn’t expecting the knock on his door the following morning, but he thought it might be May, so he said, “It’s open.”

It wasn’t May. It was Simmons. Phil was glad he was already dressed in his suit - he didn’t think he and Simmons had quite gotten to the stage in their relationship that he and May had, where seeing him in his pajamas would have been no big thing. May had seen him in worse.

“I’m not bothering you, am I, sir?”

“No, it’s all right, Simmons. I was just reading over some things while I have my coffee. I thought you were staying with your father?”

“Oh, I am, he just dropped me off for a moment on our way in to the ARC. I wanted a private word.”

“It couldn’t wait?”

“As I said, private.” Simmons straightened her spine slightly. In an odd way, she reminded Phil of Lester in that instant. “Sir, what are your intentions towards my dad?”

Phil gazed at her more fully. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Sorry, was I not supposed to know? It’s just that you’re clearly attracted to him and don’t think I haven’t noticed you flirting. To be honest, I have to say that I’m a little disappointed. I really thought you’d be more subtle. Out of practice?”

“Out of practice?”

Simmons lowered her voice like she was imparting a secret, a commiserating sort of expression on her face. “At dating.”

Sometimes Phil really, really wanted to just let go and bang his head on his desk a few times. 

“It’s okay,” Simmons went on. “My dad hasn’t had much luck since Mum. He really loved her, you know, and I think for a long time he thought he had to be loyal, for her and for me. And he’s always been so busy with his work. But I promise you, he’d be worth it.”

“Simmons--”

“And if it’s the gay thing, if you’re worried about it, Daddy’s never been one for labels. He appreciates a man who knows how to wear a suit. I think you have quite a lot in common, actually.”

“I’m not trying to seduce your father, Agent Simmons.”

She looked a little disappointed. “Aren’t you?”

“No.”

“Oh.” Simmons brightened after a moment. “Oh, I see. Yes, sir, of course you aren’t. I won’t say a thing.” She winked, terrifyingly, and then walked out of the room.

Phil dropped his head onto the desk, but he stopped short of banging it.

-

The day passed much as the previous one had. FitzSimmons were holed up in one of the ARC’s labs, with Phil, Skye, May, and Ward moving in and out and offering what help they could. Lester had, in a gesture of trust, given them mostly free rein of the ARC. 

That included the room with all the displaced creatures. They’d all spent a fair bit of time there.

Phil was able to speak to Lester again, off and on, though the man clearly had enough to keep him busy. Phil had particularly enjoyed the opportunity to listen to him cut someone a new one over the phone, in his perfectly clipped, upper-crust accent.

It was evening before they had their breakthrough.

“The reason no one could date the object is because it isn’t from the past, or even the future,” Simmons was explaining to Lester and Phil. “It isn’t from Earth at all. It’s--”

“It’s an alien device!” Fitz blurted.

Simmons turned to him with a pout. “Fitz, we were going to say it together!”

“I know, I’m sorry, I just got a little excited.”

“You’re saying my team located an anomaly to the Neogene period and ended up with an artifact from an alien culture?” Lester said, his eyebrow arching. “I suppose I’ll have to stop mocking those documentaries claiming aliens used to live here.”

“Asgardian?” Phil asked. He wondered if it might be time for Thor to learn that his brother hadn’t actually succeeded in killing Phil. Not permanently, anyway.

Simmons shook her head. “It isn’t like anything we’ve ever seen before, I’m afraid.”

“What does that mean for the unfortunates on my team?” Lester asked.

“It means we can’t help them yet,” Simmons said, shoulders slumping. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

“But we’re going to figure it out,” Fitz spoke up eagerly. “We just have to work out how it does what it does, so we can reverse what happened to Connor and Matt.”

“Yes! We can do it. I am brilliant, remember.”

“How could I forget?” Lester said, without a trace of his usual dry sarcasm.

“I suppose that means we’ll be sticking around for a while longer,” Phil said.

“Lovely.” There was something in Lester’s eyes that made Phil’s heart jump a little, but he told himself that was ridiculous. Lester was only glad to spend more time with his daughter.

To entertain any other thought was madness.

-

“Wasn’t Skye with you?”

Jess swiveled in her chair to look at Phil. “She left.” She pointed at her monitors, singling out the camera feed from the examination room where Matt and Connor were being held.

“Oh,” Phil said. “Why do I have the feeling she isn’t behaving herself?”

Hearing Jess giggle behind him, Phil set off to ensure Skye wasn’t bothering the two men. Or giving away things she shouldn’t be giving away.

He went through the door in time to catch Skye leaning across the table, saying, “What am I thinking now?”

Connor said, “You’re thinking about the plot of Star Wars. And how dare you, Boba Fett is amazing.”

“But that’s only to stop us from knowing you’re actually thinking about… your parents, and S.H.I.E.L.D.,” Matt added, something of an apology in his eyes.

“Skye,” Phil said, stepping in. “What are you doing?”

“Practicing,” Skye said, unabashed. “If you and May and Ward can do it, I figure, so can I, and I should, if I’m going to be an agent. Bet you never got to practice with actual telepaths.”

“I’m sorry for the way she’s bothering you,” Phil said to Matt and Connor.

“Nah,” Connor said. “Mostly everyone’s avoiding us. At least Skye keeps it from getting too boring.”

“She does do that. Come on, Skye, before you start thinking things you shouldn’t be.”

At that, Skye did look faintly guilty. “To be continued,” she said before leaving with Phil. “I didn’t mean--”

“I know,” Phil said.

The blare of an alarm going off as they reached the hub startled Phil at first, but as he watched Lester go over to Jess’ station, he realized what it must mean. “Dinosaurs in the area?”

Jess’ fingers were flying over the keyboard. “Anomaly’s opened in Essex, in Chelmsford, in… a factory. No, outside the factory.” She frowned. “Oh, that’s not good.”

Phil was mildly impressed listening to her giving them a running commentary of her actions and speaking to her team over the comms, but knew he shouldn’t be. Youth didn’t mean you couldn’t be very, very good at your job, and Phil somehow doubted that Lester would tolerate less than the best.

“I think we should go with them,” Ward said, having run over with May.

“I don’t think so,” Phil said.

“They fight dinosaurs,” Ward added, like that was the be-all, end-all of arguments.

“I’m afraid that’s a logistical nightmare waiting to happen,” Lester said. “I can’t allow it.”

“I agree completely,” Phil said.

“You expect us to just stay here, sitting around on our butts, while they go off chasing dinosaurs?” Skye said, barely looking away from Jess’ monitors.

“Yes, that is exactly what I expect.”

“It might be beneficial for us to observe how they operate, sir,” May said, drawing Phil’s eyes to her. “In the interests of education and international cooperation, of course.”

Phil narrowed his eyes. “Of course.”

“May’s right, sir,” Ward said. “It could only help our efficiency in the field, and it’s good to form ties.”

Phil ignored the irony of Ward supporting the formation of personal connections. He looked at Lester.

Lester shrugged. “That sounds quite reasonable, I’m afraid. As long as it’s in an observational capacity only, of course.”

Skye did a little fist pump in the background.

Phil sighed. “All right, I guess we’re going. I’ll pass the message along to FitzSimmons, so they’ll know where we’ve gone.”

“I can tell them over the comms,” Jess offered.

“You’d better also tell Becker he’s going to have company,” Lester said to her.“And tell him to get Connor and Matt out of isolation. They’ve got an incursion to avert.”

-

Three hours later, Phil massaged his sore shoulder and gazed at his very much _not_ ‘observational capacity only’ team members. Ward was hissing while a medic put antiseptic on a nasty-looking cut across the back of his shoulder and May was discussing the workings of the EMDs, the weapons they favored at the ARC, with Matt.

“Chalk that one up to international cooperation,” Skye said, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She only succeeded in smearing a glob of mud on her face.

“I think I liked dinosaurs better when they were just illustrations in a book,” Phil said.

“Incursions go a lot worse than this, sometimes,” Becker said, and Phil just sighed.

He would say one thing. Having accidentally telepathic team members came in handy when you were in a tight spot.

-

Lester met Phil outside his office when they returned from the anomaly, most of them heading off in a clump to return their weapons to the armory. “I will expect written reports from each member of your team present at the incursion before you leave,” he said.

“Seriously?” Phil said.

“I appreciate thoroughness in all things.” 

“And I thought S.H.I.E.L.D. liked paperwork.”

“If you need guidance as to format or content, you may ask a member of my team. I would suggest Captain Becker; he’s best with anything involving detail and order.”

Phil wasn’t entirely sure what it was about Lester’s controlled, matter-of-fact way of telling him exactly what he was going to do if he knew what was good for him, without putting it in so many words, that made his brain want to think inappropriate thoughts. _Thoroughness._ Fuck. “I’ll tell them.”

“Splendid. Be sure to include your rationale for moving from spectators to active participants. I will be very interested to hear your thoughts.” Lester turned on his heel and returned to his office. He hadn’t put his jacket on before he’d come to meet them. His pants were a really good fit.

Phil decided that what he wanted right then, more than anything, was a long, hot shower and someone’s willing mouth. Perhaps one mouth in particular. He figured he’d have to settle for a shower that was brief and… well, cold would probably be best.

-

Phil had never made a habit of drinking on the job but he found himself hard-pressed to refuse when Lester leaned back in his chair and offered him one. Particularly when he saw precisely what bottle of whisky was on offer.

“I take it you have the sort of night where alcohol seems a necessity often,” he said, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. 

“Why, because I’ve got a bottle in my office? That’s observant of you.”

“I try.”

“S.H.I.E.L.D. must be so proud to have you on its payroll.”

“They were, once,” Phil somehow found himself saying.

Lester’s gaze was frank and open. “But not any more? That isn’t how Jemma tells it.”

“I…” Phil swallowed. “They gave me this team, that’s true. But I…” He stopped, took a swallow of the whisky. He didn’t even know how to explain how he felt to himself, so how could he ever make someone else understand? “I died and when I woke up, nothing felt the same.”

There wasn’t even a flicker in Lester’s expression to give away his surprise. “You’re looking remarkably well for a corpse.”

Phil chuckled. He supposed it was good that dead guy humor could strike him as funny.

“May I ask how?”

“It was during the invasion of New York. You may have seen something on the news.”

“I seem to recall hearing of it once or twice, yes. You were with the Avengers.”

“It was before the battle-- I didn’t even last that long. I suppose you could say… I was what they were avenging.” He smiled wryly. He thought he might never forgive Fury for the mess he’d made of Phil’s Captain America trading cards.

“When you say you died, do you mean that your heart stopped and they revived you?”

_ I mean a Norse god stabbed me through the chest and I choked on my own blood.  _ “They told me I was dead for six seconds,” Phil said quietly. “But I’m not sure what to believe any more.”

Lester was silent for a while. Phil wasn’t even sure why he’d brought it up in the first place. It wasn’t exactly your typical conversation starter. It was actually supposed to be classified. He didn’t know why Lester made him want to share things he had never shared with anyone, when he barely even knew the man. 

“I haven’t ever died, obviously,” Lester began, “but I do know what it’s like to wake up and realize that somehow your life has ended up in a completely different place than where you thought it would go. I know what it’s like to realize that you aren’t the same person you used to be, to realize that you aren’t who you thought you were.”

Phil thought of Lester’s dead wife and suddenly felt foolish. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to--”

Lester waved him off. “No, it’s quite all right. I’ve made my peace with my losses. I have Jemma, and she’s all I need. I used to have so many dreams, dreams about where I would be, how high I could rise, and now there’s just… The ARC. And do you know what? Most of the time, I think that’s just right.”

“I read up on the ARC, after Simmons told me about you. A lot of it was…”

“Complete bollocks?” Lester suggested.

Phil smiled. “Yes. Political garbage and idiotic media spins. But there were real stories, too, and there were assessments S.H.I.E.L.D. had made. You’ve saved a lot of lives here. I’m sure Jemma must be proud.”

Lester glanced away, sniffing, and took a sip of his drink. “I think Jemma would love me if I were the worst piece of rubbish on the planet, so I just try to be better than that.” He let his eyes fall back to Phil. “Is Jemma safe? I’m afraid she has never been particularly truthful concerning the dangers of her profession.”

Phil had been afraid of this conversation, somewhere in the back of his mind, ever since they’d arrived in London. “Your daughter is a scientist, not a field agent, but I won’t lie to you. She chose to join S.H.I.E.L.D.; she chose to devote her life to protecting others at the risk of herself.”

Lester’s smile was faint. “As I said, she has her mother’s heart.”

“I think she has your heart.”

“I’m an administrator, nothing more.”

“An administrator who has two guns stashed in separate locations in his office.”

Lester’s eyes flickered to the drawer in his desk that held one of said guns. 

“They pay me to keep my eyes open,” Phil said. It wasn’t the only observation he had made, not by far, but it was an easy one to make his point with.

“Indeed. I’m afraid this isn’t the position I had in mind when I entered the civil service.”

“And yet you never left.”

“No. I like to think I… I go where I am needed. But this isn’t about me. Jemma is… Jemma is the best thing I ever did. Sometimes I think she is the only good thing I ever did. Can you promise me you will keep her safe, Agent Coulson?”

For a moment Phil could do nothing but stare across the space between them into Lester’s grayish-green eyes. Then Lester shook his head and the moment was gone.

“No, I can’t ask that of you. I won’t ask you to make a promise you can’t keep.”

But Phil wanted to give Lester something; he needed to give Lester something. “Your daughter is a member of my team, Lester. I don’t have a family anymore; I only have my team. I promise to always look after your daughter and to do everything in my power to protect her, as I would for any of them.”

Lester nodded, just once, and he reached across the desk to lay his hand on Phil’s. “Thank you,” he said, and the warm touch of his hand lingered on Phil’s skin like an echo, long after Lester had drawn it away.

-

Phil had been speaking with Connor and Matt in the interests of gathering more information. He wasn’t sure when it had somehow become about himself.

“It’s different with you,” Connor said, staring into Phil’s eyes from across the table. “With May and Ward, I can sense that there’s _something_ there, just out of reach, something that I can’t get to. Because they’re blocking me. But with you, it’s…”

“Nothing,” Matt finished. “It’s like there’s nothing at all.”

Phil was holding onto his blandest mask. “Maybe I’m just that good.”

Connor looked doubtful. “Maybe. But you aren’t the telepathic one, you can’t feel what we’re feeling. And I’m really, really sorry that sounded so dirty.”

Matt rolled his eyes.

“It feels like there’s a hole there, like a… a pit of blackness. It’s eerie. No offense.”

“None taken,” Phil said, and stood up. He didn’t think about Loki, and six seconds, and Tahiti. He didn’t think about anything at all.

-

Simmons was starting to look tired, with dark circles underneath her eyes, and Phil suspected that if she was sleeping at all it was because of her father. But right now, she was beaming, and so was Fitz.

“It’ll work,” Simmons insisted. “I’m sure it will.”

“Absolutely, one hundred percent certain,” Fitz added. “Ninety-nine percent. Ninety-eight. Well, close enough, anyway.”

Lester was only looking at his daughter, and he nodded. “Okay. Let’s get the device to Matt and Connor.”

Ten minutes later, they had all gathered in one of the ARC labs, Simmons still using gloves as she handled the device.

The two women Phil had first met outside the room where Matt and Connor had been contained, Abby and Emily, weren’t saying a word. Of course, that didn’t stop certain members of the group from hearing what they weren’t saying.

“For the thousandth time, Abby,” Connor said, “yes, I realize I should have listened to you and yes, maybe in the future I’ll be more careful about what strange objects I touch.”

“If it helps,” Matt said, “Emily’s thinking ‘I told you so’ just as hard.”

“I know she is,” Connor said sadly. “Still not as bad as what he’s thinking, though.” He tilted his head to Lester.

Matt winced. “Definitely not.”

If Phil hadn’t known better, he might have thought Lester was blushing. 

“Um,” Fitz said. “I think everyone but Matt and Connor should go outside while we do this, just in case. There’s a slight chance this will backfire and make everyone telepathic, or else blow up. Very small chance.”

Lester looked ready to argue but Simmons ushered him through the door first, saying, “It’s okay, Daddy, Fitz is exaggerating. It’s perfectly safe. Except he is right, and you should leave.”

“Simmons,” Phil started, but she cut him off, too.

“Don’t worry, Coulson, we have everything under control. Trust us.”

So Phil went outside with the rest of them because his team would mean nothing if he didn’t trust them. He stood next to Lester, who was maintaining his calm exterior whilst nevertheless managing to radiate anxiety. Or at least he was to Phil. Phil wanted to reach out and grab his hand, but that was ridiculous.

Abby was holding Emily’s hand, though, while she worried at her lower lip. They were married, Phil recalled, her and Connor. He had seen little of her over the duration of his stay at the ARC, just during the incursion and around the creature enclosure, really, and he couldn’t imagine how much stress she must have been under.

A short while later the door opened and Fitz beckoned them inside again. “They can’t read our minds at all! But we’re going to run some tests to be certain.”

Abby threw her arms around Connor while Emily went to Matt, smiling at him, and Phil couldn’t help his own smile. There was little that made him prouder than watching the members of his team succeed, to see them do their jobs in the way no one else could.

He thought the way he felt must be the same thing that was reflected on Lester’s face, as he kissed his daughter’s forehead.

-

Phil was in Lester’s office, for what was likely to be the last time. He thought that the feeling echoing deep inside him, where he was trying to ignore it, might have been regret.

Lester was standing to the side of his desk, his hands folded behind his back. “I suppose you’ll be leaving then, now you’ve sorted our mess.”

“Yes,” Phil agreed. “Probably shouldn’t linger. Things to do, orders to follow, you know how it is.”

“I do,” Lester said. Phil wondered if he was imagining the disappointment in Lester’s voice.

And then Lester said, “I expect it’s selfish to say that I wish you could stay longer, so that we might continue to get to know each other,” and Phil realized he wasn’t imagining anything.

“I would have liked that, too,” Phil said, and closed the distance between them. Lester’s eyes seemed greener, somehow, this close, and Phil could hear the way his breathing had quickened. “But I figure, lack of time is no reason to stop us having what we want.”

Phil cupped his hand around the back of Lester’s neck and kissed him.

Lester’s lips were as soft as a woman’s but his body was flat and hard where it pressed against Phil’s. He was gripping Phil’s hip, fingers digging in, and Phil thought he could never get enough of this, this, this.

“Oh, dear, sorry, you’re snogging. I suppose I should really have knocked.”

Feeling incredibly reluctant about it, Phil nevertheless drew away from Lester, putting some space between them and dropping his hands back down to his sides. Lester’s lips looked wet and his hair was out of place and Phil needed to not be looking at him.

He looked at Simmons, instead, where she stood just in front of the door, watching with interest.

“So, you’re snogging now, that’s a thing you do,” she was saying. “Not that I disapprove, because I don’t, I’m so, _so_ happy about it, honestly, but this is going to be awkward, isn’t it, sir? If you, my boss, are dating my dad? Doesn’t that make you a bit like my second dad? There’s S.H.I.E.L.D. protocol advising against this sort of thing, and lots of forms to fill out. And how would it work, exactly? With my dad in London and you... well, everywhere? Are you going to--”

“Jemma, darling, light of my life,” Lester interrupted, “be a dear. Shut up and go away, will you?”

“Of course, Daddy,” Simmons said, grinning impishly. “I love you.” She gave him a thumbs up before she left.

“Well,” Lester said. “Now that my daughter has been so kind as to point out a few of the myriad reasons why this is a bad idea, do you want to have dinner with me? Surely you can stay long enough for that?”

Phil didn’t actually need anyone to point out why this was a bad idea, as it was abundantly clear, and he suspected Lester didn’t either. But he wasn’t getting any younger and if dying had taught him anything, it was to not waste time. He didn’t know if this was going anywhere but it would be stupid to stop before they had even begun.

“Yes,” Phil said, and kissed Lester again.

**_ End _ **


End file.
